GENERAL ALLOY PROPERTIES THAT AFFECT PERFORMANCE

As you can see from the above the cast and forged magnesium produces the lightest wheel. Magnesium is 34% lighter than aluminum.

This is an area where the forged process gives you higher strength and performance. The higher the number the stronger the wheel. This means that the forged aluminum wheel is 36% stronger than the cast aluminum wheel. The forged magnesium wheel is 42% stronger than the cast magnesium wheel.

Again, this shows the yield tensile strength of the product. You can see that the forged aluminum is 66% stronger than the cast aluminum. The forged magnesium is 79% stronger than the cast magnesium.

This shows how brittle the material is. The higher the percentage number the stronger the material is. The lower percentage shows that the material is more brittle and is more likely to fail under an impact.

Which wheels should I consider for my bike?
The above alloy properties show that the cast aluminum which is the least expensive wheel material offers the lowest performance in the area of weight and strength.

The forged aluminum offers higher strength and higher performance in most applications.

The forged magnesium offers the ultimate in lightness and strength.

To better understand the overall characteristics of a wheels performance you should also read the "Where’s the Weight." The forged tensile strength advantages also pertain to the thickness of the rim and that is where the real performance action is.